To My 22-Year-Old Self

July 18, 2013

Cousins celebrating my 21st

Dear 22 year-old self,
Last year was a fantastic year! You made new friends, figured out which career field you belong in, and ultimately grew as a young adult. You learned some lessons the hard way and discovered your strengths. Ultimately, you began to figure out just who “Skylar” is. To sum up the year, here are a few lessons that you should always carry with you:

1. Push Yourself. This is the time in your life where you can push yourself to go on new adventures and do things you would never have thought you could. You started doing Roller Derby, singing more than to your steering wheel, and barrel rolled like you were James Bond across a busy street. Push yourself, not only beyond your comfort zone, but through those tough times. It will make you stronger and you will likely level up in awesomeness.

2. You’re Not Awkward Unless You Decide You Are. Take a leaf out of the book of Zoey Deschanel’s character on “New Girl”. Jess doe not go around saying how awkward she is, instead she embraces her quirkiness and is comfortable in her own skin. You may be quirky and sometimes sing about what you are doing, but that is alright! Keep being goofy! With that being said, try not to make a habit of making loud goat noises in a Chinese restaurant with your roommates-that is taking it too far…

3. Never Take Yourself Too Seriously. Remember, we are all human and we make mistakes. Please, do not spend countless hours analyzing why things went wrong (or even how you did something right). Sometimes laughing at yourself is all you need to do to feel better. After all, sometimes we end up making rather silly errors. Laugh it off and learn from it, I promise it will be okay.

4. Never Quit Learning. Even if you are not in school, there is always an opportunity to learn. Whether it is from life experiences, unusual documentaries on Netflix, or through your workplace, take something away with you as you embark on the next adventure in your life.

5. Relax. Do not fill up your schedule with meetings, social gatherings, and other commitments. Remember, you cannot do everything and do it well. You have to practice self care and take time to refresh. If you don’t, you will end up burning out and turning into the Grinch.

Being 21 was great, but being 22 will be even better. Remember these lessons and you will go far.